Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-17
Taken By the Board Of Trade On the
Question Of the Hour in Butte
The Salt Tariff.
A Committee of Eleven to Draft q
Strong Memorial to the Onion Pa
cific-Discussion and ResOlu.
tiOns on Other Matters Of
Public Interest.

gentlemen were present. President CLARK
occupied the chair and J. g. Hammer at
his desk. After some unimportant pre-
limina,ies Judge Knowles moved the pre-
paration of a memorial to the Union
Pacific Railroad, embodying the sentiments
Of the members upon the salt question. and
urging upon the road the adoption of q
rate oi freight on the article that would nc
longer oppsess one OF the chief industries
Of Rntte and stifie the development oi
one of the main factors in the welfare ol
the camp. Mr.. Clark addressed the Board
in an energetic speech in which he referred
to the Injury done the camp by the black
eye it has everywhere received. He referred
tO the quotation of other Western mines
upon the mining exchange OF New York and
said that as long as people here
SUBMIT TO THE ExToRT1oNs
which have given the camp it's setback,
80 long would it be in getting men ofcapital
to come here and develop it's mineral
resources. Messrs. Irvine. Knowles and
Capl;ce made addresses Of more or less
length upon the subject. The advent OF the
Montana Central was generally adverted
O as an anticipated relief to the extor.
tions OF the Union and Northern Pacific.
1t was darkly hinted that it was possible
the Manitoba road might combine with
the Union Pacific to keep the rates as they
were; but it was urged that at least a
proposition might be made to it when it
came into Butte,--prnvided no relief were
obtained from the Union Pacific before
then-to take the bulk of the carrying
trade of the camp in return for a reason
able ia te on salt and the other inporta-
tions of the city. The cheaper copstruc-
ton OF the Manitoba road was allege a. q
reason why it should be able to discount
the other roads on long hauls.
THE POSITION OF THE ALICE
and other mills on the question of shutting
down " as then reviewed, and while every.
one conceded the certainty that the Alice
would unquestionably shut down unless
relief came in the reduction on salt before
October /, the possibility OF the other
mills doing so was questioned. Mr.. Clark
said that as far as the Moulton was con-
cerned, he would have closed it year ago
but for the injurious effect such action
would have on tine camp. All the custom
mills were running now on what was more
or less SUI face ore. and that the cost Of re-
duction to them was not SO great as to the
Alice, which dealt with low grade ore ex-
clusively. 1t was conceded that it
was only question OF time.
however. ere they would have to
FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE
of the Alice ard close down, also. Within
a short period. custom mills have reduced
the cost # reduction per ton to customers
from $25 to SIG per ton, and the reduc-
tion OF coal to IS and salt to SO would re.
suit in IA wing OF from 81 to 81 so a ton
to the producer. This would be quite an
item in the case OF mill like the Alice,
which reduces one hundred tons d day,
making profit OF 5000 to $3.50 a day.
The gentlemen pre- ent discussed the mat
ter fully in all it's bearings and as d result
a committee of eleven members was ap-
pointed by the Association, consisting OF
w, A Clark chairman; H. Knowlts, 'ohn
Caplice A. H Barret, T. J. Brophy, E. NJ.
Trask. L. F. Schmidt, L. K. Maillet, Nj. J.
Connell George Haklorn and George w.
Irvine H., to draft the memorial spoken
of and the committee was empowered to
select one OF their number to prncetd to
Omaha and present the memorial in person.
Mr. Richards thought that the Board OF
Trade should make an effort by represen-
tations in the right quarter to keep the
LOCAL JoBRING TRADE OF BUTTE
in the hands OF it's merchants. He had
noticed that Helena, from where he had
just returned. was making strenuous efforts
to capture much Of the trade that was
naturally tributary to this town, and he
thought that the Montana Union could do
much to retain that trade by making ia.
vora bic rates for Butte merchants. de
instanced the case Of Philipsburg. where
Helena goods we're being sold In the face oi
the fact that goods 20 ng there had to be
hauled by j.. o engines the best part OF the
way, while from Butte it was all down hill.
He did not call it bovcotting a road it, in
return for exclusive trade, another
road would give him cheaper rates
on freight. We should go where we can get
the best rates. 1t was resolved as the
sense OF the discussion that the attention
If the Committee on Transportation be
called to the question OF transportation
to Philipsbnrg. and that they confer with
the officers OF the Montana Union on the
subject.
REIScoRPoRATION.
Mr.. Clark suggested to the gentlemen
present that, since the passage OF the REIN
corporation bill by the Legislature, the
ubiect should receive the attention Of the
Boa,d He said he understood that the
Objectionable fea lures had been eliminated
from the bill! previ' usy passed. He was
himself in favor of reincorporation and
hoped the subject would receive the apprO
bation OF tho Board. TheIe should be ar
effort to build up and boom the town, not
by fictitious means, but upon grounds that
it's situation and resources wonld warrant
Real estate was advancing i'll every Western
town. Mr.. Lloyd suggested that good
deal of trade might be brought to Butts
by improving
ROADS TO VARIOUS SECTIONS
in the vicinity and instanced the road OF
the Big Hole and the road to the Jefferson
as two that if put in good condition would
bring the people Of those sections here te
do their tracing. Mr.. L. F. Schmidt gave
reasons why the County Commissioner!
should he Endorsed BY resolution OF th'
| Board OF Trade in their intention to bult
the Big Hole road and Mr.. Hoge moved
| that a resolution be framed and paeset
| requesting the Board of County Commis
! sioners to construct q road with tn
neces -ary bridges to the Big Hole basin
The Board then adjourned and the com
mittee on memorial held a session to pre-
pare draft If the document to be pre-
sented on the salt question.
Part of the Burlington System.